A Critical Learning Moment
Midway through the summer, I discovered that the school rosters I had been working with had already changed. Rockdale and South Avondale had merged lists, which meant that the careful work I thought I had finalized suddenly didn’t match what staff were actually seeing in the buildings. At first, it felt like a setback. But then I realized this was the nature of real service. Systems are always changing, and families’ lives are not static. What mattered was not building something “perfect,” but something flexible that staff could adapt as rosters evolved. Learning that service requires adaptability, and patience for this will stay with me far beyond this summer.
A Meaningful Moment
One of the most rewarding moments came at another health fair when I retired doctor would say he got patients from health fairs like ours that would connect people to primary care. It felt like another bridge being crossed as instead of the usual interaction with a community member in need I was now receiving direct thanks from someone who was directly providing the care we worked so hard to bring the locals.
A Teamwork & Leadership Moment
As an undergraduate, I was often the youngest and least experienced person in the room. At first, I wondered what value I could add among seasoned nurses, physicians, and program directors. But I learned that my role became that of a bridge: translating data into usable tools, translating staff feedback into improved systems, and communicating important information between school health staff and high-level administrative employees.
